Occurrence Of Plants Research Articles

Large-scale forecasting of Heracleum sosnowskyi habitat suitability under the climate change on publicly available data

This research aims to establish the possible habitat suitability of Heracleum sosnowskyi (HS), one of the most aggressive invasive plants, in current and future climate conditions across the territory of the European part of Russia. We utilised a species distribution modelling framework using publicly available data of plant occurrence collected in citizen science projects (CSP). Climatic variables and soil characteristics were considered to follow possible dependencies with environmental factors. We applied Random Forest to classify the study area. We addressed the problem of sampling bias in CSP data by optimising the sampling size and implementing a spatial cross-validation scheme. According to the Random Forest model built on the finally selected data shape, more than half of the studied territory in the current climate corresponds to a suitability prediction score higher than 0.25. The forecast of habitat suitability in future climate was highly similar for all climate models. Almost the whole studied territory showed the possibility for spread with an average suitability score of 0.4. The mean temperature of the wettest quarter and precipitation of wettest month demonstrated the highest influence on the HS distribution. Thus, currently, the whole study area, excluding the north, may be considered as s territory with a high risk of HS spreading, while in the future suitable locations for the HS habitat will include high latitudes. We showed that chosen geodata pre-processing, and cross-validation based on geospatial blocks reduced significantly the sampling bias. Obtained predictions could help to assess the risks accompanying the studied plant invasion capturing the patterns of the spread, and can be used for the conservation actions planning.

Plant and bird phenology and plant occurrence from 1851 to 2020 (non-continuous) in Thoreau's Concord, Massachusetts.

Concord, Massachusetts, USA has served as an active location for phenological observations since philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau began recording plant and animal occurrence and phenology in 1851. Since that time, numerous naturalists, scientists, and researchers have continued this tradition, creating an invaluable time series of 758 species in a single location. In total, 13,441 phenological records, spanning 118 years, now exist, with observations of many species ongoing. Relative abundance data for an additional 200 plant species is also provided. Thoreau's published journals and records in Special Collections libraries at the Concord Free Public Library, Harvard University, Peabody Essex Museum, and Morgan Library and Museum provide insight into his methods of routinely walking around Walden Pond, through natural areas, and within the town of Concord, seeking the first leaf or flower on plants, seasonal observations of migratory birds, and fruit maturation times. Several amateur naturalists, and most recently the present research group, have followed this method of regularly searching Concord for the earliest signs of seasonal events, visiting many of the same locations including Walden Pond, the site made famous by Thoreau. While Thoreau's observations were initially made out of a curious desire to document the natural world, these data have led to dozens to contemporary studies, addressing timely issues such as climate change, conservation, ecology, and invasive species. This time series of data, initiated by Thoreau and continued by others, has resulted in dozens of peer-reviewed publications, a popular science book, and numerous educational and outreach opportunities. These data grow increasingly valuable with time and as new and creative studies are undertaken with Thoreau's historic records. No copyright restrictions apply to the use of this data set other than citing this publication.

Influence of forest landscape on birds associated with lowland water bodies

Water surfaces are important landscape elements with respect to ongoing climate change. The most important water surfaces in central Europe are rivers and ponds. Forest ponds are beneficial reservoirs of water and neglected islands, potentially promoting bird fauna. We aimed to determine the response of the bird fauna associated with ponds in lowlands to forest land use type. We predicted that forest ponds would host different species composition and would be of importance mainly for forest dwelling species. Birds were studied in the lowland landscape of the Czech Republic, which is dominated by a large area of the eastern Bohemian Forest. We focused on two groups of birds: (i) water communities on the pond surface and (ii) tree communities in vegetation on pond dikes. The species richness of water bird communities was mainly influenced by water surface area and diversification. Tree bird communities were influenced by the total length of woody vegetation surrounding the ponds. Forest ponds most promoted several species of passerines, including some that are not forest specialists. We found that the bird species richness of forest ponds was generally not greater than that of non-forest ponds. Nevertheless, forest ponds also supported open landscape specialists and increased the diversity of forests. Increases in woody vegetation surrounding ponds appear to be important management targets for improving bird diversity. The same effect could be achieved by diversifying of the water surface with terrestrial islets and the occurrence of plants, both of which goes hand in hand with low water pollution.

PHENOMENON OF TRANSGRESSION VARIABILITY IN POPULATIONS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF HEMP INTERVARIETAL HYBRIDS

The article deals with the issues of the phenomenon of transgression variability in populations of various types of hemp intervarietal hybrids. The study of the first generation of various types of intervarietal hemp hybrids showed that transgression trait is observed in most traits available for study. Studies showed that the height of intervarietal hemp hybrid plants transgresses within a fairly wide range, depending on the types of crossing. Concurrently, the genotypes of parental components have a great influence on the degree and frequency of tall and short-stemmed plants. So, in case of direct crossing of forms close in plant height (Glukhovskaya-10 and Odnodomnaya-2, YUS-9 and Poltavskaya-3), a population with biotypes exceeding the best parent by 18-19% is created in the offspring. The occurrence of such plants in this case is significant (12-16%). Crossing of components that differ greatly in plant height (YUS-9 and Odnodomnaya-2, Glukhovskaya-10 and Poltavskaya-3) shows a degree of transgression of 13-14% and a frequency of 9-10%. There is a transgression of some productivity elements in populations of various types of intervarietal hemp hybrids. The highest rates of transgression are revealed by the stem weight of one plant. The splitting nature of the first generation of simple intervarietal hybrids depends on the genotypes of the parental forms. Thus, when crossing Glukhovskaya-10 and Odnodomnaya-2 varieties, which are identical in stem weight, a population of biotypes, exceeding the best parent by 25% is created. The occurrence of such plants in this case is significant (24%). When crossing forms of YUS-9 and Odnoedomnaya-2, contrasting in stem weight, the degree of transgression is 18%, and the frequency is 15%. Transgression practically does not occur in the offspring of backcross hybrids. Therefore, the best biotypes in terms of a complex of traits, isolated in the offspring of first-generation hybrids, should be used to obtain complex hybrid populations. Complex hybrid populations are a valuable source material and can be the parent of a variety.

Quantitative vegetation reconstruction in the Central North China Plain of the last 3000 years based on the REVEALS model

The North China Plain is a region where the natural vegetation was increasingly influenced by human activities from ∼3000 cal yr B.P. (Zhang et al., 2017; Peng, 2019). We used pollen, charcoal and sediments from the Dacaozhuang Holocene profile in Ningjinpo, central North China Plain, in combination estimates of relative pollen productivity, to quantitatively reconstruct vegetation changes over the last 3000 years using the REVEALS model. Our aims were to study the combined effects of climate change and human activities on the zonal vegetation. The principal findings are as follows. 1) During 3000–2600 cal yr B.P., the study area was strongly influenced by the Yellow River, leading to a complex pollen source area, which is inappropriate for REVEALS models. Since 2600 cal yr B.P., the sediments were mainly supplied by rivers originating in the Taihang Mountains, and the reconstructed tree coverage was generally less than 20%, while that of herbaceous plants such as Artemisia, Poaceae and Asteraceae was more than 50%. This indicates that the study area was predominantly grassland with trees sparsely distributed in the mountains. 2) Crop plants (Poaceae≥35 μm, and Fagopyrum), and the occurrence of synanthropic plants like Brassicaceae and Urtica/Humulus, together with a high sedimentary content of coarse charcoal particles (>100 μm), indicate substantial disturbance of the natural vegetation by human activities from 2600 cal yr B.P. 3) During the Medieval Warm Period (1300–600 cal yr B.P.), the concentration of charcoal and the proportion of synanthropic plants were relatively high, indicating strong human activity. Nevertheless, the proportion of trees, dominated by Pinus and Quercus, was substantially higher (increasing to more than 19%) compared with the previous interval, indicating an increase in forest vegetation and thus a strong climatic influence on the vegetation. 4) During the periods of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (after 500 cal yr B.P.), the concentration of charcoal and crop plants reached a maximum and the tree coverage decreased substantially (to 4.8%), indicating the highest level of human influence on the vegetation. The shift to a cool and dry climate may also have contributed to the reduction of trees within the landscape.

A palynological assemblage from the Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4) of Shandong Province, China, and its implications to the transition from algae to land plants

Pre-Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) spore-like palynomorphs are significant in understanding the plant origination and the evolutionary transition from algae to land plants (TAP). Cambrian cryptospore, though its concept and affinity remain controversial, shows indispensable evidence of algal ancestor preceding occurrence of land plants. In this study, we recognize a Cambrian (Epoch 2, Age 4) palynological assemblage from the Zhushadong Formation of Shandong Province, northern China, which shows more diversity than previously reported from the same section. The Zhushadong palynological assemblage (ZPA) is proposed and composed of cryptospores (15.4%), clustered forms (31.5%), acritarchs (20.1%), filaments (30.3%) and indeterminate specimens (2.7%). The ZPA shows the earliest record of Cambrian cryptospores or spore-like palynomorphs and sheds light on the TAP occurring in the Cambrian of northern China. Palynomorphs from the ZPA are comparable with those from roughly coeval sequences in North America and other areas. Our study also suggests that ancestral streptophyte algae started to adapt to subaerial life in several separated regions and probably earlier than the Epoch 2 of the Cambrian.

Pre-emergence control and interference of voluntary maize plants on a soybean crop in Brazilian Cerrado

The succession of soybean/maize has been largely adopted. Storm damage and crop problems can lead to grain loss, generating maize ear fragments or even whole ears that remain in the soil and still display germination viability, resulting in the occurrence of volunteer plants. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the interference of voluntary maize plants on soybean and investigate the susceptibility of maize hybrids to pre-emergence herbicides. In the first step, an experiment was performed evaluating the influence of voluntary maize plant density and spatial distribution on soybean. The experiment was performed in a randomized completely block design (RCBD) with four replications, with treatments disposed in factorial arrangement (2 x 4) + 1. The first factor corresponded to the spatial distribution of maize plants: row or in between soybean rows; while the second factor adopted four infestation densities of maize plants m-2: 4, 8, 12, and 16. The additional treatment consisted of a control without maize plants. For the second step, an experiment was conducted in two locations aiming to determine the efficacy of pre-emergence herbicides in the control of voluntary maize. Both experiments were installed in RCBD in a split-plot scheme with four replications. Fomesafen, lactofen, sulfentrazone, chlorimuron-ethyl, diclosulam, flumetsulam, imazethapyr, clomazone, metribuzin, [sulfentrazone + diuron], [imazethapyr + flumioxazin], and a control without herbicide application were evaluated in the main plot. In each subplot, the maize hybrids DKB310 PRO3™ and DKB390 PRO3™ were evaluated. No influence on the position of voluntary maize on the soybean yield was observed. The presence of the maize population led to a progressive decrease in soybean yield, ranging up to 86%, at 16 plants m-2. DKB390 displayed a stand reduction of 82.88% after the use of diclosulam. Diclosulam led to better results regarding maize plant decreases for both hybrids.

Scale dependence of landscape heterogeneity effects on plant invasions

Abstract Invasive alien species are among the most concerning threats to native biodiversity world‐wide, and the level of landscape heterogeneity is considered to affect spatial patterns of their occurrence and spread. However, as previous studies on these associations report contrasting results, the role of landscape heterogeneity on its susceptibility to invasions remains poorly understood. Landscape heterogeneity is usually described by two measures: configuration and composition. Both measures may differently affect invasive species and these impacts may be additionally scale dependent. Nevertheless, their relative contribution to invasion patterns is poorly known. We investigated the effect of two landscape heterogeneity components: configuration (edge density) and composition (number and evenness of land cover types) measured at different spatial scales (from within 0.25 to 5 km of the studied locations) on the local abundance of one of the most invasive alien plant species in Europe, the North American goldenrods (Solidago canadensis and S. gigantea). Using publicly available geospatial environmental data and a novel method based on remote analysis of Google Street View images, we collected and analysed large dataset on goldenrod occurrence along 1,347 roadside transects in agricultural landscapes of Poland. Both the compositional and configurational heterogeneity were positively associated with the local abundance of goldenrods, however, the effect size of these relationships was dependent on spatial scale. While abundance–heterogeneity associations were most pronounced at the largest spatial scale for compositional heterogeneity, the pattern was the opposite for configurational heterogeneity. Synthesis and applications. Landscape heterogeneity is a clear correlate of plant invasion potential, with occurrences of invasive plants generally higher in more heterogeneous landscapes. However, scale dependence of this association means that researchers and practitioners may miss the association if only concentrating on a single spatial scale. While increasing heterogeneity of rural landscapes is widely introduced as a way to promote farmland biodiversity, we show that it may also support invasive plants, and thus conflict with original goals of biodiversity‐oriented strategies. Therefore, we suggest implementing regular management and eradication schemes in most heterogeneous landscapes. Finally, we demonstrate how remote analysis of plant invasions using existing imagery can advance our understanding of invasion biology.

Methods for using pastures in semi-desert zone of West Kazakhstan

The research allowed one to prove the seasonal organization of pasture economy using the distant pasture. The studies were carried out in 2018-2021 in the semi-desert zone of Western Kazakhstan. The aim of the research is to study and select the best ways to use pastures for organizing measures for their rational management. The soil of the areas of unsystematic and seasonal grazing is light chestnut medium loamy. Driving pastures are located in the sands zone. In the summer period, an increase in the number and occurrence of valuable pasture plants Kochia prostrata, Agropyron desertorum, Festuca valesiaca, Leymus ramosus, Koeleria cristata was noted on seasonal pastures. On the distant site of sandy pastures, 23 plant species of different economic and botanical groups have been determined, and due to the natural conditions of sands in the phytocenosis, the occurrence of valuable plants in the forage ratio is high. By the middle of summer, in the area of seasonal and distant pastures, despite the loss of forbs from the vegetation composition and drying of cereals, the yield of green phytomass was 0.81-1.03 t/ha, which is 0.43-0.65 t/ha. In this work, it was concluded that to improve the efficiency of pasture resource management, it is important to use seasonal pastures with the inclusion of a distant site in pasture rotation, which is the scientific novelty of the research.

Automatic selection of the number of clusters using Bayesian clustering and sparsity-inducing priors.

Clustering is a ubiquitous task in ecological and environmental sciences and multiple methods have been developed for this purpose. Because these clustering methods typically require users to a priori specify the number of groups, the standard approach is to run the algorithm for different numbers of groups and then choose the optimal number using a criterion (e.g., AIC or BIC). The problem with this approach is that it can be computationally expensive to run these clustering algorithms multiple times (i.e., for different numbers of groups) and some of these information criteria can lead to an overestimation of the number of groups. To address these concerns, we advocate for the use of sparsity-inducing priors within a Bayesian clustering framework. In particular, we highlight how the truncated stick-breaking (TSB) prior, a prior commonly adopted in Bayesian nonparametrics, can be used to simultaneously determine the number of groups and estimate model parameters for a wide range of Bayesian clustering models without requiring the fitting of multiple models. We illustrate the ability of this prior to successfully recover the true number of groups for three clustering models (two types of mixture models, applied to GPS movement data and species occurrence data, as well as the species archetype model) using simulated data in the context of movement ecology and community ecology. We then apply these models to armadillo movement data in Brazil, plant occurrence data from Alberta (Canada), and bird occurrence data from North America. We believe that many ecological and environmental sciences applications will benefit from Bayesian clustering methods with sparsity-inducing priors given the ubiquity of clustering and the associated challenge of determining the number of groups. Two R packages, EcoCluster and bayesmove, are provided that enable the straightforward fitting of these models with the TSB prior.

"I Climbed a Fig Tree, on an Apple Bashing Spree, Only Pears Fell Free": Economic, Symbolic and Intrinsic Values of Plants Occurring in Slovenian Folk Songs Collected by K. Štrekelj (1895-1912).

In this study we examine the occurrence of plants and their symbolic, economic, and intrinsic values in Slovenian folk songs. We have analyzed songs published by the ethnologist Karel Štrekelj between 1895 and 1912. Of the 8686 songs studied, plants occur in 1246 (14%) of them. A total of 93 plant taxa were found, belonging to 48 plant families. Grapevine is the most frequently mentioned species, followed by rosemary, wheat, carnation, and lily. About half of the taxa belong to cultivated plants (52%), followed by wild plants (42%). Exotic plants (i.e., not growing in the area) are mentioned only occasionally (6%). Half of all citations (49.3%) refer to the symbolic values, such as religion, love, death, economic status, or human qualities. More than a third of the citations (36.7%) are associated with plant’s usefulness, especially consumption, while only a small percentage of citations (14.0%), relate to environmental representation. Several verses show how our appreciation of some plants, especially those used as food, has changed over the centuries. Folk songs have turned out to be interesting sources of information, and although they cannot be fully trusted as historical documents, they can still be used as sources for understanding the relationship between people and plants.

Linotrins: Omega-3 oxylipins featuring an E,Z,E conjugated triene motif are present in the plant kingdom and alleviate inflammation in LPS-challenged microglial cells

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in plants, exerts neuroprotection and anti-inflammatory effects in chronic and acute CNS disease models. However, the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. Since ALA is not incorporated into the brain, the observed health benefits may result from some of its metabolites. The putative formation of dihydroxylated ALA derivatives (called linotrins) was recently shown in vitro in the presence of lipoxygenases. However, the in vitro biosynthesis of linotrins was neither stereoselective nor quantitatively efficient for studying their physiological roles as enantiomeric pure forms. Herein, we report the first stereo-controlled synthesis that features regio- and stereoselective hydrometalations of alkynes for assembling the sensitive E,Z,E-conjugated trienes, as well as LC-MS investigations that provide evidence of linotrins occurrence in plants. Moreover, strong anti-inflammatory effects on microglia highlight the potential physiological importance of linotrins and open new perspectives in search of CNS therapeutics.

Does pollen limitation limit plant ranges? Evidence and implications.

Sexual reproduction often declines towards range edges, reducing fitness, dispersal and adaptive potential. For plants, sexual reproduction is frequently limited by inadequate pollination. While case studies show that pollen limitation can limit plant distributions, the extent to which pollination commonly declines towards plant range edges is unknown. Here, we use global databases of pollen-supplementation experiments and plant occurrence data to test whether pollen limitation increases towards plant range edges, using a phylogenetically controlled meta-analysis. While there was significant pollen limitation across studies, we found little evidence that pollen limitation increases towards plant range edges. Pollen limitation was not stronger towards the tropics, nor at species' equatorward versus poleward range limits. Meta-analysis results are consistent with results from targeted experiments, in which pollen limitation increased significantly towards only 14% of 14 plant range edges, suggesting that pollination contributes to range limits less often than do other interactions. Together, these results suggest pollination is one of the rich variety of potential ecological factors that can contribute to range limits, rather than a generally important constraint on plant distributions. This article is part of the theme issue 'Species' ranges in the face of changing environments (part I)'.

Exploring how functional traits modulate species distributions along topographic gradients in Baxian Mountain, North China

The associations between functional traits and species distributions across environments have attracted increasing interest from ecologists and can enhance knowledge about how plants respond to the environments. Here, we applied a hierarchical generalized linear model to quantifying the role of functional traits in plant occurrence across topographic gradients. Functional trait data, including specific leaf area, maximum height, seed mass and stem wood density, together with elevation, aspect and slope, were used in the model. In our results, species responses to elevation and aspect were modulated by maximum height and seed mass. Generally, shorter tree species showed positive responses to incremental elevation, while this trend became negative as the maximum height exceeded 22 m. Most trees with heavy seeds (> 1 mg) preferred more southerly aspects where the soil was drier, and those light-seed trees were opposite. In this study, the roles of maximum height and seed mass in determining species distribution along elevation and aspect gradients were highlighted where plants are confronted with low-temperature and soil moisture deficit conditions. This work contributes to the understanding of how traits may be associated with species occurrence along mesoscale environmental gradients.

The other side of tropical forest drought: do shallow water table regions of Amazonia act as large-scale hydrological refugia from drought?

Tropical forest function is of global significance to climate change responses, and critically determined by water availability patterns. Groundwater is tightly related to soil water through the water table depth (WT), but historically neglected in ecological studies. Shallow WT forests (WT < 5 m) are underrepresented in forest research networks and absent in eddy flux measurements, although they represent c. 50% of the Amazon and are expected to respond differently to global-change-related droughts. We review WT patterns and consequences for plants, emerging results, and advance a conceptual model integrating environment and trait distributions to predict climate change effects. Shallow WT forests have a distinct species composition, with more resource-acquisitive and hydrologically vulnerable trees, shorter canopies and lower biomass than deep WT forests. During 'normal' climatic years, shallow WT forests have higher mortality and lower productivity than deep WT forests, but during moderate droughts mortality is buffered and productivity increases. However, during severe drought, shallow WT forests may be more sensitive due to shallow roots and drought-intolerant traits. Our evidence supports the hypothesis of neglected shallow WT forests being resilient to moderate drought, challenging the prevailing view of widespread negative effects of climate change on Amazonian forests that ignores WT gradients, but predicts they could collapse under very strong droughts.

Environmental regionalization and endemic plant distribution in the Maghreb

Clustering methods based on environmental variables are useful in the planning of conservation strategies for species and ecosystems. However, there is a lack of work on the regionalization of the vast space of North Africa and the distribution of plant species. The current lists of endemic plants are focused mostly on an occurrence at the country level and not on regions with different conditions. The aim of this work was to lay out an environmental scheme for northwest Africa and to collect data about the occurrence of endemic plants in this area. Clustering with 12 of 33 tested environmental rasters was performed to divide the Maghreb into environmental clusters. Then, a list of 1618 endemic plant taxa (1243 species and 375 subspecies) was prepared and their distribution in estimated environmental clusters was examined. Eleven clusters with different conditions were estimated. The main drivers of regionalization were temperature amplitude, precipitation seasonality, and precipitation of the warmest quarter. According to the occurrence of endemic plants, northwest Africa may be divided into three zones: Atlas, Mediterranean (two environmental clusters), and southern zone (eight environmental clusters). The presented results provide a good basis for understanding the spatial patterns of the Maghreb, including its environment and species diversity. A designed list of endemic plant species together with environmental data may facilitate the planning of future research in north Africa and arranging methods of biodiversity protection.

The current state of pastures in Western Kazakhstan, depending on the method of their use

The process of pasture resources management in Western Kazakhstan is complicated by the deterioration of vegetation cover with the manifestation of degradation and desertification processes as a result of unsystematic grazing. The aim of the research is to study distant pasture grazing on the productivity of pastures for their rational use. Field experiments were carried out in 2018–2021 on the pastures of the semi-desert zone of the Western Kazakhstan region on the territories of the “Miras” peasant farm in the Bokeyurdinsky district. As experimental plots, 4 pastures were selected, used in different ways: unsystematic, seasonal and distant pastures. 3 pasture areas are located on the relief part of the semi-desert zone, and the distant-pasture area is located in the sandy part of Ryn-Peski. To study the influence of the methods of use on the productivity of pastures on the polygon areas, regular observations of the quantitative and qualitative parameters (projective cover, height, species composition, yield) of phytocenoses were carried out. The research allowed to prove the seasonal organization of pasture economy using the distant pasture. In the summer period, an increase in the number and occurrence of valuable pasture plants Kochia prostrata, Agropyron desertorum, Festuca valesiaca, Leymus ramosus, Koeleria cristata was noted on seasonal pastures. On the distant site of sandy pastures, 23 plant species of different economic and botanical groups have been determined, and due to the natural conditions of sands in the phytocenosis, the occurrence of valuable plants in the forage ratio was high. By the middle of summer, in the area of seasonal and distant pastures, despite the loss of forbs from the vegetation composition and drying of cereals, the yield of green phytomass was 8.09–10.25 c/ha, which is higher than in the area of unsystematic grazing by 4.28–6.44 c/ha. In this work, it was concluded that to improve the efficiency of pasture resource management, it is important to use seasonal pastures with the inclusion of a distant site in pasture rotation, which is the scientific novelty of the research.

Plant occurrences on the Rybachy and the Sredny Peninsulas, Murmansk Region, Russia: a dataset.

BackgroundThe Rybachy and the Sredny Peninsulas are the northernmost part of Murmansk Region in the European part of Russia. While the most part of the Region is covered by boreal forest, the Peninsulas are covered by tundra. The vegetation and flora of Murmansk Region are well studied at present. The Peninsulas were first studied in 1829 by a Finnish botanist Jacob Fellman. The most comprehensive research was conducted in the late 19th - early 20th century. Nevertheless, the species composition of the Peninsulas' flora has changed significantly over the past 100 years due to land use and climate change. The aim of this dataset is to make the data on species occurrences for this territory digitally available via GBIF. To date, more or less complete digital floristic data were provided only by the project for digitising the book "Flora of Murmansk Region" (1953–1966).The present dataset is a part of the project studying the vegetation of the territory. We recorded the information about species frequency and distribution using the relevé method.New informationWe present a dataset based on 991 relevés from all vegetation types, which includes 16,289 records of georeferenced plant occurrences that belong to 568 species. There are 23 species of lichens (Ascomycota), 142 species of mosses (Bryophyta), three species of liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and 400 species of vascular plants (Tracheophyta) in the present dataset. The taxonomic diversity and unevenness result from the vegetation sampling. The data were collected in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2015. The dataset cannot be considered as a complete vegetation database or a flora checklist, but it contains the occurrences and frequencies of the species from all the vegetation types.

New records in non-native vascular plants of Russian Lapland.

BackgroundThe non-native vascular plants of Murmansk Region (European Russia) are under active investigation towards the compilation of the first complete checklist. This work is part of the project 'Flora of Russian Lapland', which ultimately aims at the complete inventory of the taxonomy, distribution and status of vascular plant species in Murmansk Region, based on the comprehensive database of herbarium specimens, field observations and literature.New informationNew territory-level records of non-native vascular plants emerged during our inventory of herbarium collections and recent fieldwork. Fourteen species (Anthemisruthenica, Aruncusdioicus, Bromuscommutatus, Chaerophyllumhirsutum, Galegaorientalis, Geumaleppicum, Leonurusquinquelobatus, Lepidiumdensiflorum, Levisticumofficinale, Myrrhisodorata, Phleumphleoides, Prunusarmeniaca, Rorippasylvestris, Seneciovernalis) are reported as new to Murmansk Region. The historical occurrences of alien plants appeared in the territory largely as contaminants (of seed or forage). In particular, Rorippasylvestris and Seneciovernalis arrived with the forage imported during the Second World War. All recent occurrences originated by escape from confinement (ornamental purposes, horticulture, agriculture), reflecting a high diversity of the modern assortment of cultivated plants in commerce and private gardens. Regarding the invasion status, five alien species are considered casual and eight species are treated as locally established or persisting (for uncertain time). Only one species, Galegaorientalis, is considered naturalised and capable of further spreading in the territory, although without invasive potential.

METHODS FOR EXTRACTION AND ISOLATION OF AGATHISFLAVONE FROM Poincianella pyramidalis

Agathisflavone is a natural biflavone with restricted occurrence in plants. This biflavone presents several biological activities and can be important to developing new drugs. Obtaining such a molecule on a large scale for in vivo tests is a challenge. To date, there are no reports regarding its synthesis; thus, it is important to improve and develop methods for the purification of this bioactive compound from natural sources. Previous studies indicated that the leaves of Poincianella pyramidalis (Leguminosae) had agathisflavone predominantly. However, obtaining this compound requires some steps of chromatographic procedures and extraction with organic solvents. This paper compares four procedures for the purification of agathisflavone from its leaves, two by traditional chromatographic techniques and by complexation with inorganic bases. The purification in the automatic flash chromatography in two steps provides a high-yield extraction; the two procedures using alkaline extraction and the traditional method reduced to three steps provided the compound with similar yields. The biflavone was identified by TLC, and HPLC analysis showed that it was isolated with &gt; 99% of purity. Thus, the applied methodologies provided the purification of this compound employing less volume of solvents, the number of chromatographic column procedures, and time-consuming, with increased yields